~ About God and people…

Tag Archives: help

We´ve seen a serie of protests in Brazil during this week. Thousands of people, from all ages, went out to the streets looking for answers, seeking justice. They went there to get what is theirs, by right.

These people made a lot of noise, they bothered politicians, called the country´s attention and got the support from people all over the world.

You were probably there, or maybe not, but you saw what can happen when people decide to act. You finally got that you have a voice and that it CAN be heard. It CAN change things.

Photo by Maira Portugal

And what now? What ELSE can you do? What else can you fight for?

Mobilize…love is ALSO a movement.

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Two aussie friends, Jonno Durrant and Stefan Hunt, sharing the same idea: to surf some swell, experience foreign culture and most importantly, land a helping hand. That was the basic recipe to what has become an incredible journey trough 50 states of USA, Mexico and now the 28 states of India and they´ve shared part of this story with us. A story that proves that even the smallest and most ordinary actions can make a huge difference in people´s lives. Check it out!

What is this project and how did it start?

Surfing 28 States: India is the collaboration of our two previous film projects – Surfing 50 States: USA and Somewhere Near Tapachula. Surfing in all 50 states of the USA and a story about an orphanage in Mexico where the kids surf, respectively.Then we decided to go to India to surf all of their 28 states while undertaking some humanitarian projects along the way.

What impact these projects have caused on you?

The 54 children from Mision Mexico, the subject of ‘Somewhere Near Tapachula’ seriously feel like my brothers and sisters now. Asha Mission was an inspiring orphanage just when we needed a pick me up. Going To Schoolgot us excited about the impact that art can have on sending a positive message. 88 Bikes and Free The Slaves reminded us what a good life we have and what a great help we can be to others. The Thin Green Line made us love the environment and the people that protect it even more. Waves For Water forced us to go out and help the clean water crisis instead of waiting around for permission. Our Homeand theSurf Ashramproved once again that surfing can change lives!

How is the response? What have you accomplished since you started?

We managed to surf in all 28 states of the craziest country I have been to in under 3 months! We have been raising money for all of the 8 organizations we worked with in India, but it is early days yet.

What projects are you working on now?

Trying to edit this project for TV.

What´s your next stop?

Hopefully a few TV networks around the world.

And what love means to you?

God, helping others and forgiving others…even when it is hard!

Over the last 7 months the boys have toured the film throughout Australia and the USA raising over $100,000.00 for Mision Mexico. The inspiration behind this project is a result of their time spent at Mision Mexico, realizing the need to lend a helping hand to those in less fortunate, and how rewarding it can be. “This trip is more about giving than taking.” – Jonno and Stefan.

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Over one billion people in the world live with less than a dollar a day;

Each day 24 thousand people die because of starvation;

10% of the children in developing countries die before reaching 5;

There are about 100 million homeless people;

People spend 40 times more on cosmetics than with donations;

Some people don´t have the same opportunities in life you have. And if you can do something to help changing a little bit of their stories, why not?

“Amor é um movimento” is a nonprofit organization that works raising money to pay debts or to invest on the dreams of people who, for some reason, can´t afford to do so.

People sign up for the site and after filling their personal data, they tell their story, explain why and what for they need help and why they couldn´t pay for the debts. After that the site will post these information so that everybody can see it and help. These procedures work the same way for the investment part.

As the name says, this is about love. Love has the power to change the world radically, and it has to start with us. It´s a simple way to help dreams come true, to restore hope and faith, to show people you care, to love unreservedly.

“When you cease to remain silent, you prove that with your voice you can really change the world.”

“I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I can´t do everything I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”

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One of the things that kept ringing in my mind during these latest weeks is the church. We´re all pretty much set with all the definitions of it. We know that is not about buildings or institutions, but about God and people. We, the church, are still living in this world for a reason. We may be the only Jesus many people will ever see. We have the chance of changing someone´s life every single day. We´re the hands and feet of Jesus.

In the midst of the chaos we are the ones who should rise up and bring hope for these people. Show them love, show them we care, use what we have in our hands to help them changing the situation they´re living.

A good example of it is Charity: water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations, right now to Haiti specially. One of their projects includes telling stories from the field trough photographs, besides the donations. They´ve raised money to provide clean water for thousands of people in different countries.

It may sound silly. Water? What´s the big deal? It´s not a big deal for us, who never really felt thirsty, but for those people the idea of drinking clean water is nothing but a distant dream that is starting to become true.

That´s just one idea. With a simple act they´re changing the reality of thousands of people. Maybe you can´t go this far, or help this quantity of people, but you can do something in your side of the world, with the few people you know. Maybe they´re not lacking this water, but keep your eyes, ears and heart open to see. That´s our chance of doing something. We´re not here just to hang.

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but is think of yourself less.” – CS Lewis